Skippylongstocking has minor foot issue after Monmouth Cup
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. thought he had picked an easy spot for Skippylongstocking when he entered him in Saturday’s Grade 3 Monmouth Cup.
Not so much.
Skippylongstocking, who earlier this year won the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational, was beaten 29 1/4 lengths when finishing third to Knightsbridge, who in his two-turn debut won the Monmouth Cup by 10 1/4 lengths over Money Game. Knightsbridge earned a 122 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance.
Joseph said he knew Skippylongstocking was going to be a little short fitness-wise having not run since a neck loss to Corporate Power in the Grade 2 Alysheba on May 1. But in the end, it wouldn’t have mattered as no one was beating Knightsbridge.
“If that number is real and you’re chasing that, he wasn’t going to win even if he ran his best race, let alone knowing I didn’t have him 100 percent fitness-wise,” Joseph said. “I’m disappointed I allowed him to get beat that far, but we’ll be fine going forward.”
Joseph said Skippylongstocking came out of the race with a corn on the bottom of his foot that is sensitive to the touch. But Joseph said the horse is sound and will still be able to make the $1 million Charles Town Classic, a race he has won twice, on Aug. 28.
Meanwhile, Joseph said Forged Steel, who won the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup before finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Suburban, will make his next start in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 22. Joseph said Navajo Warrior, winner of the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap on July 11, is also being considered for the Pacific Classic.
R Disaster to miss Honorable Miss
R Disaster, winner of the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on May 2, will miss Sunday’s Grade 2 Honorable Miss Stakes and will train up to the Grade 1 Ballerina on Aug. 29, Joseph said Monday.
R Disaster has not breezed since the Derby City Distaff, owing to a hind foot issue that she previously had “and it flared up again,” Joseph said.
Joseph said R Disaster will probably get back on the work tab in the next two weeks and should not have any problem making the Ballerina, where she will be rematched with Ways and Means, the Derby City Distaff runner-up who is also bypassing the Honorable Miss to await the Ballerina.
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